In the world of painting, there are countless styles, but among the most captivating and fascinating is fantasy illustration, which perfectly blends imagination with reality. And when speaking of renowned Japanese yōkai illustrators, one must mention Ayako Ishiguro.
Image credit:@ishiguroayako
Ayako Ishiguro was born in 1973 and showed a passion for drawing from a young age. Without any formal art education, she developed her unique contemporary ukiyo-e style through her own talent and hard work. Her works primarily feature various traditional yōkai and cats, with delicate brushwork and vibrant colors that bring the eerie and bizarre appearances of the monsters to life on the page.
▼ Ayako Ishiguro's co-authored picture book with Natsuhiko Kyogoku, "Mononoke Diary" (Yōkai Diary).
Image credit:@ishiguroayako
The yōkai in her drawings are not the ferocious monsters of popular imagination, but rather independent beings with their own stories and emotions. Through these yōkai, Ayako Ishiguro explores the darker aspects of human nature and the complex relationship between humanity and the natural world.
▼ Ayako Ishiguro's picture book "Nekomata Goyomi" (Nekomata Almanac) won the 15th Kindergarten Picture Book Award.
Image credit:@ishiguroayako
The Toy People editorial team is greatly honored to have invited Ms. Ishiguro for an interview, to share with our readers some insights into her creative process and life. (Hereinafter, Ms. Ayako Ishiguro will be referred to as Ms. Ishiguro)
Toy People: Many of your works have been turned into three-dimensional figures. Could you share with us what your first 3D-adapted work was? What were your feelings and thoughts about it?
Ms. Ishiguro: It was a gashapon toy series from Kitan Club called "Parade of Monster Cats". In the picture book, cats transformed into various yōkai are parading in a line, and this gashapon series brought these cat yōkai to life in 3D. I was in Taiwan for a solo exhibition when I received the email about this project, and I was incredibly excited. I was deeply moved by how exquisitely sculpted and adorable these cat yōkai were.
▼ Ayako Ishiguro's first 3D-adapted toy, "Parade of Monster Cats," released by Kitan Club in 2017.
Image credit:Kitan Club Co., Ltd.
Toy People: Following up on the previous question, among your many 3D-adapted works, which one is your favorite or has left the deepest impression? And why?
Ms. Ishiguro: I love them all and they've all left a strong impression, so it's truly hard to choose. But if I had to pick one, it would be "Kung Fu Neko" (カンフー猫). The reason is that it's a character born specifically to be an original soft vinyl toy. To date, it's the only character I've designed from scratch exclusively for a sofubi figure.
▼ The "Kung Fu Neko" (カンフー猫) exhibition merchandise from the Ayako Ishiguro exhibition "Bakemono Zorozoro Bakeneko Zorozoro" held at the Setagaya Literary Museum in Tokyo. The packaging was designed by the renowned designer Yuta Oshima.
Image credit:@ishiguroayako
Toy People: You have many pets, and you often share adorable moments from their daily lives on X. Do your cats, Tenmaru and Tonichi, have an influence on your creative work? Do Tenmaru and Tonichi ever disturb you while you're creating?
Ms. Ishiguro: Tenmaru and Tonichi are a complete source of comfort and healing. During my breaks, I cuddle them or sleep with them, and they also serve as models for my drawings. For example, they let me observe the shape of a cat's paw.
When Tenmaru gets hungry, he meows incessantly. If I continue to ignore him, he'll scratch my back and let out a shriek. Tonichi occasionally jumps onto my desk and rolls around on my drawing paper, getting it all covered in fur.
▼ Ms. Ishiguro's two beloved cats, Tenmaru (left) and Tonichi (right). They occasionally appear in her works.
Image credit:@ishiguroayako
Toy People: Could you share with us what your studio looks like?
Ms. Ishiguro: It's a bedroom that doubles as a studio, cluttered with bedding, reptiles, my toy collection, and the cats' beds. It's not really a studio, just a regular room in a house.
Toy People: How do you usually cultivate your inspiration? Or do you have any special methods to help you find creative ideas?
Ms. Ishiguro: I get asked this question a lot, but there's no specific method. Inspiration strikes suddenly in my daily life—while reading books, watching movies, visiting exhibitions, taking a walk, or even just spacing out. There's no special trick to it.
Toy People: Please share with us the secret story behind the creation of "Devilnyan" (デビルニャン)!
Ms. Ishiguro: I'm a big fan of "Devilman," so when I received the invitation from Unbox Industries, I was thrilled. This is a field I excel in—fusing a cat yōkai with Devilman was a very enjoyable creative process.
▼ In addition to the Devilnyan figure design, the box art and the "Devilnyan" lettering were also created by Ms. Ishiguro.
Image credit:@ishiguroayako
Toy People: Do you collect or have any particularly favorite toys? Why do you collect them?
Ms. Ishiguro: I'm obsessed with toys, so I collect all sorts of plushies, sofubi, and action figures. At one point, I specialized in collecting toys from the "Gremlins" series, so I have a lot of Gizmos. For sofubi, I particularly love "Ultraman" and "GeGeGe no Kitarō." As for action figures, I have a soft spot for American comic book heroes and "JoJo's Bizarre Adventure."
▼ Ms. Ishiguro occasionally shares her latest toy acquisitions on X. She finds her desired toys at designer solo exhibitions or Wonder Festival.
Image credit:@ishiguroayako
▼ Ms. Ishiguro has an Instagram account dedicated to sharing her latest sofubi collection and the daily life of her pet reptiles.
Image credit:@ishiguroayako
Toy People: Please share with us your hobbies outside of your creative activities!
Ms. Ishiguro: I've been keeping reptiles for several years now. This year, I started learning kickboxing. Although I'm not very athletic, hitting the pads and the punching bag feels exhilarating. I've also recently become interested in sea fishing, but I haven't tried it yet because I get seasick, so I can only fish from the shore.
▼ Besides her two beloved cats, Ms. Ishiguro also has two lizards, Okuyasu and Furio.
Image credit:@ishiguroayako
Toy People: One last question. Could you please answer 'What do "toys" mean to you?' with a handwritten or hand-drawn response?
Ms. Ishiguro: To me, toys are "treasures and memories."
▼ Toy People is honored to collaborate with Ms. Ayako Ishiguro and Unbox Industries this time to release a Toy People exclusive version of 'Devilnyan'!
Detailed sales information... will be announced 'soon.' Please stay tuned for our latest updates.
To follow Ms. Ayako Ishiguro's latest news, please follow:
→ Ayako Ishiguro @ishiguroayako
→ ishiguroayako INSTAGRAM